Is there a serious glut of 1911's on the market or what?

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Kindrox

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I went to the Market Hall gun show in DFW this last weekend and it seemed just about every table was selling used 1911's of various models but generally older full sized. Not that I stopped and stared but I didn't even see people seriously looking at ANY of them.

Are 1911's to the point where anyone who wants one already has four or five? I question the high price point of (at least older) 1911s when SO many of them are for sale.
 
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But then again........the semi-custom/high end 1911 manufacturors can't make them fast enough and have waiting periods.
 
I think it is a regional cycle thing. I used to notice periods of time I would go to the local shows and see 'gluts' of this or that. After a while, they would all disappear and if you want 'this or that' there were virtually none to be found.

Usually the trigger is that if I get interested in getting one, and have the ca$h, they all disappear!
 
I think it depends on the brand. New Colts are not that common. Kimbers, however, are there everytime you turn around.
 
You ought to read the Letters to the Editor of the various Gun Rags; all complaining about "nuff already"....But, who pays the bills: the advertisers..:)
 
The 1911 is once again the "must have" pistol.
I remember that in the 70's everyone wanted a .357mag or a .44mag wheelgun.
In the 80's and early 90's everyone wanted a 9mm.
In the 90's that changed to 10mm and 40cal. Now it seems that after almost 100 years later we are falling in love with the .45acp again.

Who knows what caliber will be popular in 2010, besides the .45acp of course. Maybe 45LC will be the next big thing.
 
Now if only the glut would result in a drop in price! Compared to other all-metal guns, 1911s (even milsurp) demand a premium... :-/
 
kindrox,
In partial answer to your question, I know several of the tables of WWII era and earlier 1911's at the show this past weekend were from a private collection of a friend of mine and DACA member named Jim. Jim passed away about three weeks ago, and had a large collection of 1911's. He had a penchant for military firearms, particularly the M1911 (not the A1 so much). I'm sure there are many others like him, keeping the 1911's prevalent at gun shows for some time to come.
 
Yes, we are losing some long time collector friends, but some of those who are still kicking see the current demand and high prices as a good time to liquidate collections or parts of their collections.

Like investing in anything else there are market ups and downs; a time to buy, a time to sell.
 
Cost of ammo? Yes.

More people are shooting their 9mm & 40 S&W more these days. I don't blame them.

For example, it's been a long time since I have taken my 44 Mags out to shoot, since before Deer season last year. Might be until just before Deer season this year too.
 
good point RickH regarding ammo cost. I am one of the guilty, the 1911 platform is my favorite.
 
Lots for sale in the stores around here too, at first I thought it was due to popularity and because of the "its a 45 so it will sell" but now I am noticing the same 1911's sitting in the same spots for months. But to be fair the same other 45's are also sitting in the same spots too.
 
Could be cost of ammo. Could also be people worrying about a renewed AWB, complete with a 10 round mag limit. This might be their last chance to get their hands on a gun that comes with a dozen or more rounds in the mag, and they can stock up on magazines before they become scarce- permanently.

During the last AWB, many folks figured that if you could only have 10 rounds, may as well make them big ones, and the 1911 was quite popular. Then that idiot law went away, and folks went back to the higher capacity smaller caliber guns. Barring a ban on all semiauto handguns, the 1911 isn't in danger of running afoul of any laws anytime soon, so folks could be putting off their 1911 purchases.

Then again, the pendulum just swings back and forth from time to time. We're coming off a time where folks loved the 1911, so I expect to see a while where other guns get some love. It will swing back and forth.
 
I don't know about all of that. We have an entire case devoted to 1911s and they rotate out about once a week while some Glock and other "wonder 9" brands seem to sit and collect dust.

(also our in house produced 1911s are being gobbled up faster than we can make them and we haven't even started our ad campaign yet!)
 
Yep, serious glut;)

The reason is they were at one time very cheap and now are not. Lots of reworked and copy cats.

I was in a gun store yesterday, more old, used, 1911 A1s on the shelves than anything else, will be from now on, I believe. New guns were there also. The gun stores are feeling the pinch in the pocket book he tells me. I then went to an indoor range. I was the only one shooting at 2:00pm :what:

The crunch is hurting that industry now big time. Six employee's were there and no one but me:( Hope he will not be driven out of business, they say he is very wealthy (from other business's)...

:uhoh:
 
I love it. People are dumping 1911s left and right. I am buying them!!!!!

In the past month I have picked up 3 Colts and a Gunsite SA that was worked on by Ted Yost.

Some people see a glut I see tons of great pistols being sold for nothing. I love it.
 
The guns are way too expensive. Why would a 1911 .45ACP go for a grand plus per copy when I can get a stainless Smith & Wesson 645 in pristine condition for less than half that? My 645 is massive, it's beautiful, it's flawless in its operation, it incorporates new designs and is about the same size. If Smith & Wesson could produce them (and their other stainless auotos) for such reasonable prices, why can't manufacturers produce a 1911 for about the same amount?

I believe 1911s should go for about $550 or so out of the box, and that their operation and functioning should be utterly reliable. Anytime you see a $900+ for a 1911, I believe you're getting ripped unless it's got some nice bells and whistles.


GIwithPistol.gif

The 1911 features a very old design, so it shouldn't cost
an arm and a leg.


SW659645.gif

Why could these autoloaders be produced so cheaply, work so well, be
as accurate, yet an older design blued pistol be so much more expensive?
 
People like 1911 because they fit their hands. Enjoy your Smiths but you could not pay me to take one. They are big and blocky and feel like a brick in my hand.

The 1911 was designed and originally assembled in time when people did most of the work not CNC machines like todays modern designs.

The 1911 requires a lot more hand fitting and assembly then other pistols. This adds to their cost. They are also as a general rule over built in terms of material quality. Some of that has changed with MIM parts.

I mean look around a 1911 does not have to cost a grand. RIA will cost you $400 OTD and you have a pretty good start.

RIA_L_1_5003.jpg
 
Just about all the major manufacturers except Glock & Ruger are making a 1911/A1 model now. You can get them from $400 to $4000. It's certainly a proven design by now If Henry Ford had designed the model T as well as Browning did the 1911 we would still be driving them.:D
 
Economy isn't great, ammo is expensive, and a lot of 1911 makers are in the market now.

I can't imagine "gun sales" are great right now anyway, but could be wrong.
 
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